Planning commission approves zone change in Hatch for proposed RV resort

The Garfield County Planning and Zoning Commission approved a zone change from agricultural to commercial for a parcel on South Lime Rock Road in Hatch, Utah, after a public hearing and discussion of traffic and site access.

Commission members said the change would allow a developer to build an RV-style resort on a property just southwest of Hatch along Fish Hatchery Road. Caden, a staff member presenting the application, told commissioners that a traffic study prepared for the proposal estimated that a fully occupied 300-unit campground would generate about 64 morning peak-hour trips and 82 evening peak-hour trips and that the existing turning lane on Highway 89 would be sufficient to handle the projected peak traffic. "On a fully occupied weekday, approximately 64 trips during the morning peak hour and 82 trips during the evening peak hour," Caden said.

The applicant — who identified himself in the meeting as Matt and said he plans to sell the site to a developer rather than operate the resort himself — described the concept as a full-service RV resort with amenities such as a restaurant or activity area. "We've been working on this for quite some time ... something that would be fairly low impact for the community," Matt said.

Commissioners discussed notice to nearby property owners and a one written comment sent before the meeting. Staff noted that Garfield County mails courtesy notices to property owners within 500 feet; the commission received a letter from Susan Bartow (sent as a notice response) saying she did not know where Lime Rock Ranch Road was and recommending denial for that reason. The commission’s staff clarified that the 500-foot mailing is a local practice to inform neighbors, not a state statutory requirement.

Several commissioners said they considered the site and the existing turning lane on Highway 89 adequate for the proposed use. Commissioner Carrie, a local official who spoke during the discussion, said she supported the change: "I think it's great," she said.

A motion to approve the zone change was made and seconded; the commission approved the change by voice vote. The motion approved reads in the meeting record as: "Approve the zone change from agricultural to commercial on 345 South Lime Rock Road in Hatch, Utah." The meeting record does not show a roll-call vote or named vote tallies; the action was recorded as approved on a voice vote.

Staff and commissioners noted that the zone change is an early step. Building permits, utility approvals and other land-use reviews would be required before construction could begin, and changing the zone to commercial does not legally restrict all future permitted uses in the commercial category. As one commissioner observed during debate, once land is rezoned to commercial, other permitted commercial uses could be proposed later and would require separate review.

The commission scheduled its next meeting for Feb. 19; no additional conditions tied specifically to this zone change were recorded in the meeting minutes.